Shinrin-Yoku Association · SYA
Care for people.
Care for the forest.
An international community advancing Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy through ethical standards, professional education, scientific inquiry and a deeper relationship with the living world.
01 · Why we exist
Our work begins with a relationship.
Shinrin-Yoku (森林浴) invites people to engage attentively with forest environments. As the practice has evolved internationally, so have questions about professional guidance, therapeutic claims, accessibility, safety and our responsibilities toward nature.
SYA brings practitioners, educators, researchers and nature enthusiasts into a shared conversation. We support responsible practice without reducing the forest to a service, the participant to an outcome, or the guide to a person who simply delivers activities.
Our work is informed by Japanese cultural contexts, contemporary scientific evidence, reflective practice and ethical responsibility. We recognise the value of nature experiences while remaining careful about what research can—and cannot—establish.
02 · Our areas of work
Different responsibilities.
One shared purpose.
Ethics & professional standards
Guidance on integrity, consent, inclusivity, boundaries, risk assessment and ecological care.
Read the Code of Conduct → 02Education & guide development
Competency-based preparation, reflective learning and continuing responsibility beyond certification.
Explore professional learning → 03Research & critical inquiry
Exploring what is known, what remains uncertain, and how evidence can improve practice.
Visit the Journal → 04Community & collaboration
A meeting place for guides, educators, institutions, researchers and everyone who values nature.
Explore membership →03 · The circle of influence
Wellbeing is not one-directional.
A responsible Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing or Forest Therapy Guide considers three interconnected dimensions: their own wellbeing, the wellbeing and autonomy of participants, and the wellbeing of the forest.
These relationships influence one another, but do not create identical responsibilities. The guide remains accountable for professional preparation, informed consent, safeguarding, decisions and the environmental consequences of a session.
THE SYA / TMT® RELATIONAL CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE
Co-creation
An experience develops through interactions between preparation, participants and changing environmental conditions.
Co-responsibility
Participants retain agency and choice, while guides maintain their distinct professional duty of care.
Co-being
We learn to be with ourselves, other people and the more-than-human world without treating nature only as a resource.
04 · What makes a guide?
Before guiding others, cultivate your own relationship with the forest.
Personal relationship is foundational. A guide develops sensitivity to the place through repeated encounters, attentive observation, reflection, ecological respect and an awareness of personal limitations.
05 · Safety is part of care
Ethics in practice.
Professional responsibility is not limited to what happens during a session. It begins before participants arrive and continues through reflection, documentation and improvement.
Physical risk assessment
Considering terrain, weather, access, mobility, environmental hazards, emergency arrangements and the suitability of activities for the people attending.
Emotional risk assessment
Considering psychological comfort, consent, group dynamics, potential distress, personal boundaries and the need for adaptations or referral to qualified support.
06 · Inclusive pathways into practice
Professional preparation should be rigorous—and open to people from different backgrounds.
You do not need a particular degree or prior professional qualification to begin guide training. What matters is a willingness to learn, develop a personal relationship with nature, practise responsibly and demonstrate the required competencies.
Self-paced learning
Independent study, structured practice and consultations at important learning and assessment milestones.
Explore Pathway 1 ↗ Pathway 02 · Mentored onlineLearning with guidance
Weekly live meetings, discussion, reflection and mentor-supported preparation for professional practice.
Explore Pathway 2 ↗ Pathway 03 · Blended / JapanLearning through immersion
Online foundations combined with an experiential training immersion in the forests of Japan.
Explore Pathway 3 ↗Training pathways are provided through The Mindful Tourist. SYA certification requires completion of the applicable practical work, safety documentation and assessment—not simply attendance or enrolment. SYA also welcomes dialogue with schools, universities and other educational organisations.
07 · Research, writing & inquiry
Curiosity belongs beside care.
We welcome evidence-informed discussion, interdisciplinary research, lived experience and constructive disagreement about the meanings and practices of Shinrin-Yoku.
08 · A community of learning
A place for people who care about forests and our relationships with them.
SYA welcomes guides, practitioners trained through different institutions, researchers, teachers, students, community organisations and members of the public. Our community is strengthened through different perspectives, respectful dialogue and shared commitment to learning.
Membership is not a claim that all members possess the same qualifications or clinical scope. It is an opportunity to contribute, learn and participate according to each membership category.
The conversation continues
For people, for forests, and for the relationships we are still learning to understand.
Interested in contributing to the Association, discussing professional standards, collaborating on research or learning more about Shinrin-Yoku?
